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Posted on 01/01/2024 3:15:48 PM PST by luvie
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Bible in a Year :
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew.
Dr. Tiffany Gholson had seen crime impact her small American city of East Saint Louis, Illinois, in many ways. By 2023, however, the town recorded a 31 percent drop in homicides and a 37 percent drop in crime overall. What happened? A partnership. Working together, the cityâs Public Safety Enforcement Groupâincluding the state and city police, the city school district, and a faith organizationâcombined efforts to turn the tide for all citizens.
âWe say itâs a marriage,â Dr. Gholson stated, with all members of the city partnership joining in to help citizens. The school districtâs Wraparound Wellness Center, which she leads, involves school social workers, nurses, and staff to support kids impacted by crime or accidents. Other agencies share their strengths. Police commit to talk more with people on the streetâand listen.
The psalmist David wrote, âHow good and pleasant it is when Godâs people live together in unity!â (Psalm 133:1). âHarmony,â David added, âis as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermonâ (v. 3 nlt). David was referring to people who share a unifying faith in God. Rather than divided by doctrines or politics, we are one. The concept may feel elusive, yet it blesses all. Itâs a beautiful goal for believers to show concern for one anotherâespecially in our cities desperately in need of the love of Jesus.
Reflect & Pray
Where do you see a lack of unity? How might God be prompting you to promote unity by living out your faith?
Father, please help me by the power of Your Spirit to work for unity in my community.
Bible in a Year :
Devote yourselves to prayer.
âIâve been praying for you for fifty years,â said the elderly woman. My friend Lou looked into her eyes with profound gratitude. He was visiting the Bulgarian village that his father grew up in and left as a teenager. The woman, a believer in Jesus, lived next to his grandparents. She began to pray for Lou as soon as she heard about his birth a continent away. Now, over half a century later, he was visiting the village on a business trip, and while there he spoke to a group about his faith. Lou hadnât become a believer in Jesus until he was almost thirty, and when this woman approached him after he spoke, he wondered about the impact her persistent prayers had made on his coming to faith.
Weâll never know the full effect of our prayers this side of heaven. But Scripture gives us this counsel: âDevote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankfulâ (Colossians 4:2). When Paul penned those words to believers in the small city of Colossae, he also asked for prayer himself so that God would âopen a doorâ for his message wherever he went (v. 3).
Sometimes we may think, I donât have the spiritual gift of prayer. But of all the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible, prayer isnât among them. Perhaps this is because God longs for each of us to pray faithfully, so that we may see what only He can do.
Reflect & Pray
How have you benefited from the prayers of others? Whom are you praying for today?
Father, thank You that You want to hear from me! Please help me to treasure the opportunity to talk to You and pray for others each day.
Hear more of James Banks' teachings on prayer.
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Happy Monday Madness!
90 and humid here.
Cooling off Tuesday.
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Bible in a Year :
Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him.
For more than two centuries, the hymn placed first in the Methodist hymnbook was âO for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.â Written by Charles Wesley and originally titled âFor the Anniversary Day of Oneâs Conversion,â the song was composed to commemorate the radical renewal sparked by his faith in Jesus. It has eighteen stanzas proclaiming the glory of Godâs goodness to those who repent and follow Christ.
Such faith is worth celebratingâand worth sharing. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul encourages Timothy to remain steadfast in his faith and to persevere in sharing it. He noted, âThis is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminalâ (vv. 8-9). Rather than second-guess his choices, Paul reminds Timothy to remember the good-news message: âJesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from Davidâ (v. 8), came not to rule but to serve and ultimately to die for the sins of the world so that we may have peace with God. Death didnât win. Jesus rose from the grave.
And just as it set free those who believe, the message itself isnât bound. âGodâs word is not chained,â said Paul (v. 9), not even from places where death seems to have won: prison cells, hospital beds, gravesides. In Christ, thereâs hope for all people. Thatâs news worth celebrating!
Reflect & Pray
How do you celebrate the good news of Jesus in your daily life? Whom can you share this good news with?
Father, thank You for saving me and giving me opportunities to share the good news with everyone.
For further study, read Gospel Conversations: Sharing the Story of Jesus.
Yikes! That is very hot for you, right?
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Me Too.
Bible in a Year :
Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Two grandmothers from Texas became media sensations recently for completing a journey around the world in eighty days at the age of eighty-one. The globetrotting best friends of twenty-three years traveled to all seven continents. They started in Antarctica, tangoed in Argentina, rode camels in Egypt, and took a sleigh ride while at the North Pole. They visited eighteen countries including Zambia, India, Nepal, Indonesia, Japan, and Italy and ended their trip in Australia. The duo said they hoped theyâd inspired future generations to enjoy traveling the world, regardless of their age.
In Exodus, we read about two octogenarians who were recruited by God for a different kind of adventure of a lifetime. He called Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand he free Godâs people from bondage. God sent Mosesâ older brother Aaron for support. âMoses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaohâ (Exodus 7:7).
This request would feel daunting at any age, but God had handpicked these brothers for this assignment, and they followed His instructions. âSo Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commandedâ (v. 10).
Moses and Aaron had the honor of witnessing God deliver His people from more than four hundred years of slavery. These men demonstrate that He can use us at any age. Whether weâre young or older, letâs follow Him wherever He leads.
Reflect & Pray
How have you seen Godâs faithfulness in your life? How can you serve Him in this season?
Dear God, please help me to follow You all the days of my life.
I agree.
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I feel your pain. LOL!
Thanks. Still no power due to the tornado. I’m told it will be days yet due to all the damage. Cleaning up all the downed trees and branches. Took a bath in the swimming pool. Got all the refrigerated food into an ice chest. God is good.
So sorry you are going through this. I was without power for 4 and a half weeks after hurricane Wilma (South Florida) I burned my ruined cedar fence to cook with and heat water in my back yard.
My heart goes out to you.
Thanks. I lost my home to Katrina. We were in the direct hit zone. I remember Wilma coming right after.
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